Chapter 5.

"You will not be punished for your anger. You shall be punished by your anger."

"Freya, please slow down!"

Keelin shouted after her girlfriend, who was charging ahead down the busy street towards the Mikaelson family Compound. It would soon be midday, and the Quarter was starting to overflow with people either out in search of their lunchtime meals, or on a quest for an afternoon drink to wash away the morning blues. The wolf had to repeatedly weave in and out of jovial pedestrians to avoid being collided with, and at one point jumped over a small Chihuahua dog, which was sat on the pavement waiting patiently for its owner to finish talking and continue on their walk.

What had gotten into the witch?

She frantically played their recent encounter with Vincent over in her mind as she tried to gain ground on her lover. She had already known that the New Orleans witch and Freya were not exactly on the friendliest terms. The few previous times that she had met Vincent, he had shown nothing but contempt towards the Mikaelson family – even when he had appeared to be working together with them to be rid of a common enemy. Keelin had particularly not liked the way he had once spoken to her girlfriend, back at a party held by the Mikaelson family just over a month ago. It had been before she and Freya had admitted their feelings to each other, and she had been invited along to the gathering in what Keelin had seen as a flirtatious move by the Viking witch. Of course looking back, she doubted Freya even realised that she had been flirting. The girl could be so oblivious to her own feelings at times - and then often struggled to come to terms with them even when she did recognise that they existed.

Here was another dog in the street that she nearly tripped over. Didn't people know that there were confused wolves trying to catch up with stubborn witches here!

She lost her train of thought suddenly, as a sharp penetrating pain shot up her right arm, originating from her hand. It was as intense as it was short lived, disappearing within only a second or two. Pausing briefly in her pursuit of Freya, she looked down to her hand expecting to see a bleeding cut somewhere on her flesh. All however seemed as it should, and there were no marks or nicks visible. Had she knocked into something?

Realising that she was now in danger of losing Freya completely to the crowds, Keelin resumed her pursuit, finally catching up with the witch just as they were about to turn and walk through the gates leading into her girlfriend's home.

"Freya, stop!"

The tall blonde came to a halt, and twisted her body so that she was facing Keelin as she reached her girlfriend. Freya's face had a look of thunder upon it, and it instantly raised the wolf's heckles.

"Why did you charge…off like that? You could have at least waited for me….to catch up with you!"

Keelin was slightly out of breath after having to practically run most of the way from the coffee-shop to the Compound, and it showed in her speech, making it breathy and broken.

"I hadn't realised that you were struggling to keep up. I thought you wolves were meant to be physically fit and full of energy ", Freya exclaimed - placing extra emphasis on the wolf reference.

"Ok, that's it! What in the world is wrong with you this morning?" Keelin finally reacted, feeling a small ball of fiery anger building up inside of her. Her girlfriend was really starting to annoy her with the weird attitude she seemed to have adopted since their earlier conversation. She might have been out of breath, but her words still managed to come out sternly enough to grab Freya's attention and cause the witch to raise her eye-brows in a slightly startled manner.

"Nothing - I'm just tired, and I've already had enough of today. I need to be focusing on finding the Hollow, but life just keeps getting in the way with insignificant issues".

Keelin felt like she had been slapped in the face by the witch, and she had to bite down on her tongue to try and reign in the flames of anger which were steadily growing in size in her chest. She thinks my problems are insignificant?!

"Well I'm terribly sorry to have bothered you, Miss Mikaelson. I'll make sure to take my "petty" troubles elsewhere from now on!"

She turned to leave - not really knowing where she was going to go, but knowing that it had to be away from Freya. She needed to try and calm down.

"Keelin, wait - I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that." The witch lent out and grabbed Keelin's upper arm from behind, to try and stop her from walking off.

Immediately the inner fire that had been quickly building in intensity within the wolf, flared out from the confines of her chest and burnt rapidly along the length of all her arteries and veins. Within a heartbeat, she became a slave to her instincts - all human thought leaving her mind, being replaced with those of pure animal reflexes.

A growl formed from deep within her throat, as she whipped her head around and bared freshly grown fangs at the individual in front of her. Her vision narrowed into an acute field of highly focused detail, as her eyes flared the bright yellow and orange colour of a predatory beast. The rest of her body quickly followed suit, spinning around and crouching into an attack stance, ready to pounce at the slightest sign of threat.

The figure in her line of sight stumbled back a step, and her acute nose picked up the subtle scent of fear appearing in tiny sweat beads along the creature's neck. Another growl formed in her throat, louder this time to warn….

"Keelin?"

The shaky voice cut through the rage burning through her mind, like a sharp knife sliding through soft butter - immediately acting as a neutralising agent. The fervour surging through her body quickly dissipated, and she could feel coherent thoughts returning to her mind, as though suddenly released from a hidden cage. As the sharp canines in her mouth rapidly retracted, and her vision softened back to the fuzziness of humanity, the person in front of her became familiar once more. Freya was stood looking at her in shocked surprise and concern, her hands thrown up in a defensive manner, as though she had been about to cast a spell.

Oh my god, what had just happened?

Noticing that her lover's demeanour had now softened, Freya lowered her hands slightly. However the wolf could see from the witch's eyes that the she hadn't fully relaxed.

"Keelin?" Freya's voice was weary, and low in tone.

"I….Oh my god, Freya….did I hurt you?" Keelin's voice broke slightly as she spoke, betraying the deep confusion that had now engulfed her.

"What just happened? Did you lose control? Are you still wearing your ring?" Freya's eyes dropped to the wolf's right hand, searching for the Kyanite ring that had permanently lived on Keelin's index finger since the witch had given it her.

Raising her hand, Keelin showed the glistening jewellery to still be in place and in one piece.

"I…I don't know. One minute I was fine – I mean I was frustrated at you for rushing off and leaving me, but you know, a normal human level of frustrated. And the next…I…."

Keelin's sentence trailed off, as she started to feel her emotions beginning to build up within her again. It wasn't the fiery heat of anger this time, but rather a profound sense of frustration and upset. Had her girlfriend not run off and left her after their encounter with Vincent, she wouldn't have gotten angry in the first place! And had Freya not labelled Keelin's work problem as insignificant, dismissing it as an annoyance that was distracting her from more important things – well then she wouldn't have had that anger intensify and get out of control! Who did the witch think she was anyway, to believe her problems mattered more than Keelin's? What right did….

Keelin stopped herself mid-thought, shaken at how easily she had become worked up again. She couldn't bring herself to look Freya in the eyes, in fear of betraying the inner turmoil that was currently racking through her body. Lowering her head and dropping her voice to almost a whisper, the wolf spoke as she once more turned to leave

"I think I need to go and get some rest"

Unsure if the witch had even heard her, Keelin didn't wait for a response. She abruptly felt the need to be far away from absolutely everything and everyone, somewhere that the world could be silent and still. Somewhere where she couldn't hurt anyone, or do anything that she might regret. She needed to get a hold of the confusion that was swimming around in her head - and being stood there next to the witch in the entrance way to the Compound, suddenly felt very claustrophobic.

Taking off at a quick pace, she parted company with Freya without even a glance back, despite hearing her lover call after her in a worried and confused tone.

"Keelin?"

2.

"Sister, your timing is impeccable! Come, we could use your input."

Klaus's greeting met Freya as she slowly entered into the Compound's large spacious courtyard, lost in her own troubled thoughts. Looking ahead to the striking dining table that featured as the focal point of the room, she could see that her brother was not alone. He was of course sat at the head of the slab, his usual preference as the ego-appointed matriarch of their family. However to his left sat Elijah, looking both troubled and deep in thought as he twirled an unused fork around with his left hand, its prongs pirouetting in a waltz on the thick wooden table surface. To Klaus's right was Marcel Gerard.

Freya ascertained that the self-proclaimed King of New Orleans did not look entirely comfortable as he perched on the edge of one of the families grand dining chairs. His posture was like that of a predatory African Lion, trying to look nonchalant whilst surrounded by family rivals wanting to claim a right to its hard-won territory. The lion was prepared to entertain the audience it held, whilst also ready to attack at the slightest hint of a challenge. Marcel's eyes were currently locked on to Elijah's bowed head, as though he was trying hard to bore deep into her brother's mind with just a look.

Usually a meeting of these particular fellows all in the same place, at the same time, would have caused her instant concern and put her on a magical high alert. All three had been known to go as far as killing each other in the past, when their discussions had got too heated – such was the complexity of her family. However this particular afternoon, Freya was having a hard time focusing on anything other than what that had just unfolded outside with her wolf lover.

Had Keelin really just been about to attack her?

Confusion and concern were crashing together like ferocious tidal waves in her mind. Seeing the girl that she was falling in love with become so unexpectedly aggressive towards her -with canine teeth extended and bared in a spittle laced snarl, and eyes so savagely intense and feral – had completely thrown the witch off balance. So much so, that had Keelin actually have leapt to attack her, she didn't know if she would have been able to react in time to defend herself. Yes she had thrown her hands up in a pre-spell formation, but that had been more of a reflex action than actual mental preparation for releasing magic.

Would she have even tried to defend herself against Keelin?

It's not like she had forgotten that her lover was actually a werewolf under the soft, human demeanour that had en-captured her heart so completely. They had, after all, met due to her family's need of Keelin's wolf venom. And although Keelin had yet to really open up to Freya about her younger life spent living within the Malroux family pack, the wolf did divulge snippets of her past now and then, usually when describing how happy she was to have made a life for herself outside of the typically violent pack existence.

And on occasion - usually when the two of them were making love - Freya would catch a glimpse of her partner's eyes briefly changing from their usual deep and warm brown colour, to the wild yellow and orange tones of the wolf beast within. It had certainly not been of a concern to Freya in those moments however. Quite the opposite in fact. She had found it to be a huge turn on - knowing that her lover was so absorbed in the passion between them, that her animal instincts were aroused by the intensity of the pleasure she was feeling.

Keelin's eyes had not certainly held any pleasure in them today though - they had been those of a lethal killer, poised to strike.

"Freya, do be a dear and try and make it over to us sometime before sunset!"

Her younger brother's sarcastic quip pulled the witch out of her thoughts, as she realised that she was still standing in the Courtyard's entranceway, having not moved a muscle since he had announced her arrival.

Come on Freya, pull it together – your family needs you!

"Apologies brother," Freya called, as she forced one leg in front of the other to make her way over to the expecting immortals, "I was lost in my thoughts momentarily."

"Good thoughts I should hope, Sister. And how is your girlfriend today?" Klaus replied, with a brief mischievous and suggestive smirk flashing across his face.

"You said that you required my time, Klaus?" Freya said curtly, choosing to ignore his jibe – she was definitely not ready to share what had just happened between Keelin and herself with her family. Especially since Marcel was amongst them.

Frowning slightly, Klaus eyed his oldest sibling for a few seconds before seeming to decide to let the subject drop.

"Marcellus here has come to tell us of his current feud with Vincent - although the reason why he would think that we would be interested in their petty New Orleans council squabble, is so far eluding me!"

Freya watched as Marcel finally dragged his eyes away from the top of Elijah's head, to meet Klaus's look with one of his own, annoyed stares.

"Like I previously said Klaus, I wouldn't be here if I didn't think it was important. And let me remind you that the only reason that you and your family are still currently here in New Orleans, is because I have allowed it!" The vampire's tone implied that he was just one step away from withdrawing his current hospitality. "Don't make me regret it!"

Klaus lowered his gaze for a second, and Freya could tell that the Hybrid was attempting to hold his tongue - no doubt biting off a snide rhetorical that if unleashed, would end up with them all having to leave the family compound for pastures new once again.

It was a positive development for her brother, who was best known for acting first - consequences be damned!

"I am sure what my brother means to say, Marcellus, is that we welcome any information that you can share with us during this turbulent time" Elijah raised his head from his ardent inspection of the turning fork, to re-join the conversation. "Please, do continue."

"Right." The vampire sighed, and returned to his original address. "Well as I was saying, Vincent did not turn up to our last scheduled meeting, so I asked my boy Josh to find the witch, and see what the problem was. It took a while, but Josh finally found Vincent earlier this morning. Apparently he was strolling along Bourbon St like a man without a care in the world, a big grin on his face and looking like he was constantly smelling the air."

"Smelling the air? What ludicrously do you speak of?" Klaus demanded, as he poured himself a drink from the whiskey decanter sitting on the table to his left.

Freya had noticed that since she had returned to the Compound, Elijah had been nursing that particular decanter close to where he sat, and had already sunk 4 shots of the golden brown liquid in the short time she had been there.

Was he drunk?

"Hey these were Josh's words, not mine! Regardless, the witch apparently seemed in a very jovial mood. When Josh approached him and asked where he had been and why he had missed our meeting, Vincent told him that he had other more important matters at hand, such as boosting the moral of the city."

Freya's earlier disdain for the New Orleans witch born from their brief morning encounter came crashing back, momentarily causing her to forget about her concerns over Keelin.

"He said something similar to me too."

Klaus and Elijah's gazes immediately shifted from Marcel to Freya, expectedly waiting on her to elaborate.

Sighing, the witch quickly recalled the words briefly exchanged between her and Vincent moments before she had arrived home. She didn't try to hide the disdain from her voice as she recollected, knowing there was no love lost between her brothers and the New Orleans witch.

"So", Klaus exclaimed, suddenly rising out of his seat and spreading his arms out in a collective gesture, "To summarise - what everyone is saying is that Vincent is clearly up to no good, simply because the man has been busy tending to his community, and also happens to a spring in his step today? Have I got that right?"

Silence met him, as Freya and the other two men in the room exchanged almost chastised glances.

"Right! Well as riveting as this gathering has been, I am going to go and spend the rest of my day being slightly more productive, playing jacks with my daughter."

"Nicklaus…"

Elijah made a start to try and placate his brother, but was immediately cut off by Marcel who also arose from his chair to match Klaus's standing stature. Freya could see that the vampire's temper was frayed and flaring, causing her to make a quick mental check of her inner power reserve, making sure that it was primed and ready for use at a split seconds notice.

"Well that's just typical of you, isn't it Klaus! I take time out of my day to come here and speak with you – which by the way I really didn't have to bother with – and all you can do is mock and make fun like the spoilt, self-important man child that you are."

"Marcellus, please…."

Again Elijah's pleas were cut short.

"No dear brother, do let the reverent King of New Orleans have his say. Clearly, we have disturbed his incredibly busy schedule of shining his crown jewels, and poking the court jester for fun!"

Freya was beginning to get a headache.

"Gentlemen!"

All four pairs of eyes in the courtyard immediately turned to the grand staircase leading down from the Compounds upper quarters, to see where the new voice of reason had come from. Descending the steps in her usual graceful manner, was Hayley, looking mildly irritated as her eyes touched base with each of them in turn.

"Whilst I realise that it is practically impossible for this family to have a civil conversation that doesn't descend into chaotic shouting, I would like to remind you that we have a little girl upstairs who does not need any further reminders right now of how dysfunctional her family actually is!"

As Klaus moved to meet Hayley at the bottom of the staircase, Freya couldn't' help but notice that her other brother visibly tensed in his posture as his eye's fell to the ground. It seemed that Elijah was still torturing himself over the tattered state of his and the Hybrid's relationship. She felt a small pang of remorse for him flush through her, thinking about how he had been through so much over the past couple of months.

"Apologies my dear," Klaus addressed Hayley as she came to a standstill on the last step of the staircase. "Is my daughter ok?"

"She will if everyone can stop filling this house with such negative energy. Don't you think she has been through enough lately? She needs to be surrounded by love - not the anger and angst of your never-ending squabbles!"

Freya watched both Klaus and Marcels eyes fall, as they appeared to be effectively admonished by the Wolf Queen's ire. She had to admit to herself - Hayley could be quite the force to be reckoned with when she was angry.

"Apologies Hayley, I did not mean to cause any worry to your daughter".

Marcels assurance seemed both sincere and heartfelt. Ever since he and Hope had spent an evening together escaping the clutches of The Hollow's henchmen, Freya had witnessed the King of New Orleans develop quite the soft spot for the smallest Mikaelson. She suspected that it was actually the unexpected blossoming bond between Marcel and youngest witch, that was keeping them all from being turfed out of New Orleans by the fierce vampire. As it certainly wasn't her brother Klaus's lack of diplomatic tact.

"Please tell me there was at least a good reason for all the shouting that was making its way up to her bedroom?" Hayley looked from Marcel to Klaus, expectedly.

Marcel sighed, and began walking towards the Compounds entranceway as he replied to Hayley's query.

"Just know that I think something is off with Vincent, and I plan on having my boys keep a close eye on him until I'm proven wrong."

"Vincent?" Hayley looked questioningly at Klaus, who only offered her a quick shrug of his shoulders before shaking his head lightly. It was clear that he still thought the fierce vampire was clutching at none existent straws.

"Oh, and one more thing", Marcel said as he twisted around to briefly address them all before exiting the building. "Josh said that Vincent mentioned he is planning a big street party in a week's time. To help raise the moral of the community, now that the Hollow has gone".

Freya looked at the vampire in disbelief. A Mardi Gras, whilst they still had no idea where the deadly evil Spirit had disappeared to! Had the New Orleans Witch lost his mind?